Petite Cities of Character – Châtelaudren and Châteaugiron
Have you heard of the French term ‘petite city of character’ or ‘small town of character’ – Petite Cité de Caractère? Some rural and urban towns with a strong history and heritage in Brittany, France are part of the Petite Cité de Caractère de Bretagne Association (Small Towns of Character Association).
Do you love French small towns that overflow with colourful flower boxes, narrow cobblestone streets and quaint half-timbered homes? Well, you are not alone. France welcomed over 89 million visitors in 2017 and many of these tourists head into the countryside to experience the history, architecture and cuisine of the numerous smaller towns and villages.
Small Towns of Character in Brittany
In this instalment of our series on the small towns of character in Brittany, we look at two towns with similar names. In France there are many places with very similar names and it’s often only the difference of a couple of letters that denotes one place from another.
This mix-up of similar town names I’ve experienced myself, and with rather unfortunate results making me feel like a fool (read our article Aussies In France). The towns of Châteleaugiron and Châtelaudren are 135 kilometres apart with one having an almost fairytale history involving knights and kings, and the other, a no-nonsense history of defence and commerce. At first glance they seem to be spelt similarly, but there is much to set them apart.
Châtelaudren
Châtelaudren is a commune in the Côtes-d’Armor department (22) of Brittany in northwestern France.
Châtelaudren captures the imagination by having been called the “second capital of French fashion” in the 20th century. While it was the centre of dressmaking patterns and home of “Le Petit Echo de la Mode” magazine then, it is incidentally still very fashionable now. It has a peaceful lake fed by the river Leff, a sailing club, upmarket boutique stores, chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Tertre and a delightful stream running though the town centre.
The lake is still an integral part of the town which historically, together with the river Leff, mills and turbines, allowed the printing of dress patterns and paper for the most famous fashion magazine in history, Le Petit Echo de la Mode. You can still see the sign on the ancient fashion magazine building which is built beside the stream where it feeds into the lake.
Strategically placed at the crossing point of ancient transport routes Châtelaudren became a town of importance for travelling merchants and artisans and with its yarn market became a wealthy town. This wealth funded the building of the Place de la République and even today this town square is usually buzzing with activity.
With walking paths around the lake, a modern playground and a well stocked charcuterie (butcher’s shop and delicatessen) it has been a “go to” town for our family when the children needed a bit of outdoor time and I needed to stock the larder.
What To Do In Châtelaudren
Climb up to the castle area via the very large granite staircase and while catching your breath near the top, take in the interesting view of steeply pitched rooftops.
Visit the Chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Tertre. This chapel traces its history back to the beginning of the 14th century and has 132 rare and colourful painted wood panels.
Grab a basket of fresh salads and cold meats from Franck Soulas, 9 Place des Sapeurs Pompiers, 22170 Châtelaudren, stroll around the lake’s perimeter and then enjoy your feast on the picnic chairs.
Take a stroll around the lake and watch out in case the sailing club’s training boats are on the water.
Soak up the sunshine at the funky cafe of Chez Georgette beside Eglise Saint Magloire which is very popular with local residents.
Shop for fine stationery, antiques, scrumptious cakes, shoes, flowers and fashion while in Châtelaudren.
Related post – Châtelaudren is featured in our article A Way of Life and A Love of Life. This is a heartwarming story about travel and living life to the fullest by a very well-travelled teenage girl.
Châteaugiron
Châteaugiron is located in the commune of Ille-et-Vilaine department (35), Brittany in northwest France.
Knights, Kings and battle history abounds in Brittany and especially in Châteaugiron. The Châteaugiron chateau was built in the late middle ages and is right in the middle of the town. The story behind this well preserved chateau, which defended the Breton capital due to its close proximity, is that Anquetil, a knight thought to be of Norman descent, was given lands and the right to build a castle from the Dukes of Brittany.
The town buildings were built during the same period as the chateau and are nestled against its tall towers and are striking with their half-timbering.
What To Do In Châteaugiron
Wander around the town and visit the shops that are located in the old houses and timber-clad inns.
Check out the exquisitely painted shop signs that the town is known for. This can be fun for both serious photographers and those of us that love to share our photos on Instagram.
10 Fascinating Things You Should Know About The Norman Knights is an interesting factual article including sections about the knight’s lance, dangerous hunts, weakness against arrows, and the feigned flight tactic. I just love reading about this time in history as it makes touring France way more interesting.
It also transports you back to the life and times of the two towns Châteleaugiron and Châtelaudren in Brittany, France.
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